Celebrate Houston’s Culinary Heritage at the Tamale Festival Houston

Feeling hungry? Ring in a hot Texas December with some hot and spicy tamales at the largest tamale festival in Texas—the annual Tamale Festival Houston.

Taste Houston’s Culinary Heritage

December is the start of tamale season in Houston. And the Tamale Festival Houston is the perfect place to taste a piece of Houston’s Hispanic culinary heritage. Tamales are an ancient dish. They are made of corn dough and full of delicious meats, cheeses, and peppers. Then, you steam the tamales in a corn husk, which doubles as a wrapper. The first tamales were made as early as 7,000 BC in Mexico and Central America, and migrated northwards into modern-day Texas during the Spanish conquest of Mexico.

Enjoy Food and Fun

At this year’s Tamale Festival, you can enjoy mouth-watering classic and creative tamales and other specialties from dozens of the hottest small eateries in town. Sip on delicious drinks from the Houston region’s finest craft breweries while listening to the best live music Houston has to offer. Don’t forget to stay for the Best Tamale Competition and the Tamale Eating Contest. Last year’s winner, John Anthony Gaitan, downed 24 tasty tamales in two minutes and thirty seconds!

Details

The Tamale Festival Houston happens rain or shine at the Guadalupe Plaza Park. It’s just a few miles away from Melia Medical Center. Street and limited lot parking are available. Over 10,000 people attended the Tamale Festival last year, so buy your tickets online in advance and skip the wait at the entrance! All kids 12 and under are free with a paid adult admission. But make sure to leave Fido at home—they only allow service animals. Also, don’t try to bring in outside food and beverages. Surely, you’ll have no need for them once you sample the Festival’s delicious tamales.